Drink-driver who crashed pal’s Range Rover is banned from the road

A motorist who crashed while driving a friend’s Range Rover has been banned from the road for a year for drink-driving.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Tuesday, June 7, how Dean Griffiths, 35, of Birchwood Lane, Somercotes, Alfreton, crashed his friend’s Range Rover on Birchwood Lane and admitted to police that he had been driving the vehicle and had lost control on a bend.

Prosecuting solicitor Angela Hadfield said: “Police attended a road traffic collision and spoke to two males who had got out of the Range Rover and they identified themselves.

“Mr Griffiths admitted driving the vehicle and he failed a roadside drink-drive test and he was taken into custody where he gave a further drink-drive reading of 41microgrammes of alcohol in 100millilitres of breath.”

The legal drink-drive limit is 35microgrammes of alcohol.

Griffiths told police he had been driving too fast around a corner and had lost control of the vehicle.

He pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol drink-drive limit after the incident on May 20.

Griffiths also admitted using the vehicle without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Defence solicitor Mr Last said: “He can’t explain to himself and let alone his wife who supports him why he had got into his friend’s car with his friend’s permission and then been allowed to drive.”

Mr Last added that Griffiths had been to an uncle’s funeral earlier in the day but had stopped drinking some time before the incident.

The court heard how the Range Rover has been left with extensive damage and the repair costs will not be covered by any insurance because Griffiths did not have any.

District Judge Andrew Davison fined Griffiths £700 and ordered him to pay a £35 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Griffiths was also disqualified from driving for 12 months but the ban could be reduced to nine months if he completes a drink-drive rehabilitation course.